


Network

by DominicKnight



Series: Before the Faro Plague [1]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Friendship, One-Shot, pre-Zero Dawn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 21:32:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10885338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DominicKnight/pseuds/DominicKnight
Summary: Before you face the end of the world, you need to have friends to face it with you.





	Network

**Author's Note:**

> I'm exploring Elisabet's relationships with the Alphas, and how she selected them to come to PZD. My favorite exploration has been between Dr. Samina Ebadji (APOLLO) and Elisabet. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Elisabet bowed slightly and waved at the applause that filled the room. Being the youngest presenter at the conference, she figured her presentation space to be small and somewhere in a back corner of the convention center. The organizers informed her she would be in the main auditorium - the same space as their keynote speaker - she coughed on her water. Few seats were left empty. 

She gathered up her items and walked down the steps. People approached her to shake her hand, express congratulations or pass her business cards. Elisabet thanked everyone she spoke to, heading for where she left her coat earlier. The theater crowd thinned and Elisabet found herself in a smaller group. They introduced themselves to her and she hoped to remember their names later. 

Elisabet excused herself and shouldered her bag.

"Dr. Sobeck, a moment of your time?" A woman's voice called out to her. 

Elisabet turned. "Of course." She smiled at the woman that approached. 

"You were wonderful. I wanted to congratulate you on a job well done." The woman grinned at Elisabet.

"Thank you. I hope it wasn't boring." Elisabet ran a hand through her hair. 

"No, quite thrilling actually. I'm Dr. Samina Ebadji, computer science, and historian." Samina extended her hand. 

Elisabet shook Samina's hand with both of hers. "I loved your research on storing history in the most logical way that does not involve relying solely on digital archives."

"You are too kind." Samina shifted her purse on her shoulder. 

"It's an important aspect of archiving history for something better than hard drives or any physical medium reliability." Elisabet heard a beep from her watch and checked the schedule. 

"Would you like to grab lunch?"

"I thought we had to go to the next set of presentations. Out of respect to the others here." Elisabet lowered her arm and looked to Samina. 

Samina laughed. "You can. But you did just present. I'm sure these men won't miss us." She smirked and nodded over towards the door. "Besides, who wants to hear another boring white man babble about his expertise?" 

Elisabet snickered and wrinkled her nose. "You're right. I'd like to grab lunch." 

"Good. You look like you need to eat."

They walked out of the auditorium and found a place for lunch. 

"There are a lot of men here." Elisabet stabbed a piece of lettuce from her side salad with her fork. 

"It's why we need to stick together. So few of us in this field we should be a network of women." Samina sipped her water. 

"That sounds amazing. Who else is part of it?" Elisabet perked up at the idea of a network she could join.

"Every top woman of her field from scientists to CEOs." Samina resumed eating her meal. "We rely on each other for a variety of things. A real feminist network that pushes and supports. I would like to extend an invite to you." 

Elisabet nodded. "I accept."

Samina smiled. "Good. I'll add you to the mailing list and network." 

Their conversation drifted away from the network and towards their lives. Elisabet learned a great deal about Samina, her family, her work, and her story in how she came to her field. Samina asked an equal amount of questions. Elisabet shared as much as she felt comfortable talking about - her parents, school, her goals. Compared to Samina, Elisabet felt like she had not lived nearly as much as she should have. Fresh out of her Ph.D. and here she was presenting at a conference.

Samina seemed to pick up on Elisabet's mood change and reached across the table to touch her hand. "It may not be the life of an average person in their twenties, but you're living a life that they could only dream of." 

Elisabet watched her face for some kind of tell that Samina was making this statement up. 

"You have led an amazing life so far. And you will continue to change the world because of who you are and the work you're going to do." Samina squeezed Elisabet's hand. "I know it." 

"Do you though?" Elisabet's shoulders sagged. 

"Yes. I know that you are making waves now, and you'll continue to do so. Do not doubt yourself." Samina set down her fork and held Elisabet's hand on the table with both of hers. "You are going to change the world. Others in your circumstance would not have made the choices you did. Believe that you are going to do amazing things. And you will." 

Elisabet smiled and put her open hand on top of both of Samina's. "Thank you, Samina." She wished she had someone besides her parents to do this - encourage her, build her up, and push her towards greater things. Sure, Elisabet had her mother, but she seldom flew home because of her research and program. 

"You remind me of my sister."

Elisabet looked up. She didn't want to admit aloud that she thought that if she had a sister, she imagined she would be exactly like Samina. "Really?"

"Yes." Samina laughed. "That's why I wanted to talk to you. Seeing you up on that stage, and just now... You two are so much alike." 

"Well, I hope you don't get us mixed up. I hear that happens in families with multiple siblings." 

"Oh don't worry. I won't. She's not quite as science-minded as we are." 

They continued to talk about their families well through the next two sessions after they finished their meal and left the restaurant.


End file.
